Wed 11 – Sat 21 March 2020
Tickets: £3 – £10, some events FREE
(0191) 232 1232
www.live.org.uk/elevator
Live Theatre Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3DQ Follow Live Theatre #ElevatorFestival
Five years of new plays by rising talent
Elevator Festival 5 5 years of new plays by rising talent March 2020 marks the fifth year of Elevator Festival. Since 2014 we have launched 25 brand new plays, worked with 17 Associate Artists and awarded 16 Bursaries. Now for its fifth year we are presenting seven brand new plays all made possible by the Live Theatre Bursary and Talent Development Programme. We invite you to celebrate with us and share a first look at the future theatre makers from the North East and beyond.
Thu 12, Fri 13 & Sat 14 March, 7.30pm
Last Seen Bensham Road + Redcoat Double Bill Last Seen Bensham Road Written by Samantha Neale Directed by Holly Gallagher
Struggling to get her two children to school, Tanya has to navigate the morning rush and run shopping errands on an unfeasibly tight budget. It feels like everything Tanya tries fails. She longs to disappear from the wall of judging eyes and spiralling anxiety. But Tanya didn’t bargain for a literal disappearance.
Redcoat
Written by Lewis Jobson Directed by Melanie Rashbrooke Produced by The Six Twenty
Meet Lewis. He’s a Redcoat. Living the dream and living it large in Bognor Regis. He loves to make you smile and show you a good time. But what happens when you’re having an ‘off day’? And you tell Barney the Dinosaur to p*ss off (in front of a load of kids)? £10, £8 concs | Approx. 2hrs incl. interval
Sat 14 March, 5.30pm
Faster Than Bolt (Work-In-Progress Reading) Written by Juliana Mensah Directed by Rosa Stourac McCreery
2012. The Olympics. England is welcoming the world and Mo Farah is as British as the Queen. The UK government is also ‘dispersing’ asylum-seekers, out of London and into the ‘regions’. Faizah is not a British citizen, but if she hitchhikes from Newcastle to London and can outrun Usain Bolt, maybe she will become one. FREE – Booking essential | Approx. 1hr
All events suitable for ages 14+. Shows may include strong language and sexual references.
Tue 17, Wed 18 & Thu 19 March, 7.30pm
Getting Away With It + Dawn Double Bill Getting Away With It Written by Ed Edwards Directed by Cressida Brown
1981. Hunger strikes in Ireland, mass uprisings in Britain. Rebellion everywhere. The stakes couldn’t be higher as two individuals engage in very different military-style operations on the same day. Belfast. Manchester. “How are they connected? Who’s gonna get it? And who’s gonna get away with it?”
Dawn
Written by Rachael McGill Music Direction by Calum Howard
Dawn is a hairdresser who likes to rap. Her life changes after an unexpected encounter and the discovery of a surprising skill. Join her as she shares her journey, via New York, Paris and Glasgow, all the way to a nuclear bunker in the Nevada Desert £10, £8 concs | Approx. 2hrs incl. interval
Fri 20 March, 7.30pm & Sat 21 March, 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Snatched + Magic Bus Double Bill Snatched
Lead Performer/Co-Deviser Melissa Johns Director/Co-Deviser Lily Levin Developed with The Lowry In 2018, disabled actor, Melissa Johns’ icloud was hacked and explicit photos of her released online. A young disabled woman with a history of body dysmorphia comes to terms with her body becoming public property. This humorous and revealing show mixes verbatim monologues with melodrama, vulgar news headlines and musical storytelling, refusing to display embarrassment or remorse in order to champion female sexuality, fight body shaming and the taboo of sex and disability.
Magic Bus
Written and performed by Sian Armstrong Directed by Emilie Lahouel Music by Ziad Jabero
It’s 1978. Simon, a 17-year-old lad from Yorkshire is running away from home, on the Magic Bus; a pirate bus service that travels the world. This is a moving, energetic, hilariously honest story about family, hope, the coming together of different cultures, and a life changing adventure. With live music and original songs. £10, £8 concs | Approx. 2hrs incl. interval
Events and Workshops Wed 11 March, 7pm – 8.30pm
Northern Generic?
What are the characteristics of Northern new plays? Does the North have a specific character, and what is general Northern? Playwrights and industry professionals discuss Northern theatre making. Followed by a Q&A. £3
Sat 14 March, 11am – 2pm
Director’s Masterclass
Artistic Director Joe Douglas leads a session on directing new plays for the stage. £10
Sat 14 March, 2.30pm – 4pm
Independent Producers/Producing Your Own Work
Join a panel of producers and artists from the independent sector discussing self-produced work. Followed by a Q&A and networking event. FREE - Booking Essential
Mon 16 March, 7pm – 8.30pm
The Art of Wellbeing
Artists and practitioners discuss the pressures faced by individuals in the theatre industry, as well as self-care methods and how to work towards a caring reflective practice. FREE - Booking Essential
Sat 21 March, 6pm – 6.30pm
Wordplay
Live Theatre’s young people’s spoken word group perform their words to be heard. FREE – Booking Essential
For more information and to book tickets call (0191) 232 1232 or see www.live.org.uk/elevator
For future opportunities for artists and theatre makers see www.live.org.uk/artistdevelopment or join the Creative Opportunities e-mail list at www.live.org.uk/mailinglist
Live Theatre is operated by North East Theatre Trust Limited, a registered charity number 513771.